The Film
In 2003, a little film from Korea became a cult classic around the globe; it took a little longer for American viewers to appreciate it, but Oldboy eventually found a receptive audience on our side of the Pacific. The film made director Park Chan-wook a superstar at home (the film was the second installment in his Vengeance Trilogy) and Choi Min-sik, the most popular Korean actor in the world. Oldboy was a watershed moment for the Korean film industry that has always played second fiddle to the Japanese. Hollywood may be devoid of original story ideas, but Asian filmmakers have been pumping out great films for the past eight years. I Saw the Devil firmly belongs in the top tier with the likes of Oldboy.
Choi Min-sik is back, but this time he is a sadistic serial killer who preys on a pregnant fianceé; whose future husband is a secret agent. Her brutal murder shakes everything up and the enraged agent (Byung-hun Lee) decides that death is too easy for the sadistic killer who must pay for his crime. The killer must suffer and that he does. The plot sounds pretty cut and dry, but unlike most Hollywood studio garbage, I Saw the Devil has more twists and turns than the Tokyo Grand Prix, and the ending will force you to call your therapist (or get one if you don't have one already).
Korean dramas are not for the faint of heart. The story is always very important, but so is the violence and that has turned off a lot of viewers who find the graphic nature of the films very off-putting. I Saw the Devil surpasses Oldboy in terms of the gore, but the story is also quite compelling and you feel this sick sense of satisfaction watching Byung-hun Lee take out his pound of flesh. There is a weird vibe circling the globe at the moment; between the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the revolutions in the Middle East, and the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan -- people seem to be looking for their pound of flesh and this film feeds into that; perhaps in a disturbing way that may not be so apparent to some.
Needless to say, this is not a film to watch with the kids around. The imagery is strong stuff for adults and you want to keep that pillow or paper bag handy. A truly mesmerizing film that Hollywood couldn't make in 2011 -- even if they stuck all of the decent screenwriters in the same room who would probably just come up with a sequel to some Tarantino film.
The Picture
The Sound
There are two DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mixes; one in the original Korean and an English dub. Neither one is really that spectacular as the midrange is rather thin sounding, but if I had to pick one, I'd stick with the Korean mix as it had a slightly better dynamic range and the surround channels were better utilized. Also, the lips match the sound, which is always a bonus. The audio is crisp, but that's not a good thing in this case; the film is dialogue-heavy and I felt the need to adjust volume levels sporadically to discern all of it. The LFE channel is utilized too infrequently, but what exists is decent and does not detract from the mix. The audio is the weakest part of the package, but it doesn't make the film any less shocking. Disappointing, but tolerable.
The Extras
Magnolia has included a minimal amount of bonus material on this Blu-ray transfer (all in standard definition) but what exists is quite informative and relevant to the creation of the story and how Kim Jee-Woon decided to direct the film. Unlike the traditional fare from the major Hollywood studios, the commentary is not a love fest with the actors and crew; it is a collection of deleted scenes and a matter-of-fact explanation of the making of the movie.
Final Thoughts
Brilliantly executed and over-the-top, I Saw the Devil is a new feather in the cap of Korean cinema which continues to push the envelope as Hollywood flounders making remake after remake. A must-own for fans of Oldboy and a really intense two and a half hours of filmmaking that is certainly not for those with weak stomachs. I, on the other hand, can't wait to watch it again. Highly recommended.
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